The Easy Way Out
by brilliantmemories
Summary: With everything taken away from him, Shaun has only one option that Vidic has proposed to him. It's either all or nothing and with a limited time span, Shaun has to make his choice in a matter of seconds. Oneshot, written to fight a writer's block.


**A/N:** Hey there, guys! I just wanted to put this out right now.

_**I AM SO SORRY!**_

I've been very inactive but some of you may know why. I'm in the middle of moving right now and I don't have a proper internet access and all that good shit set up yet. I've been using internet from my grandparent's cable, from multiple motels and airports - it's quite terrible. Anyways, this was written to fight a writer's block and it's... well, it's kind of shite. It's not very good, not too descriptive or even anything worthy of mentioning. It was just a plot bunny in my head and I thought, wow, that would suck if that happened. Ah, well.

Anyways, _Plug in Baby_ is being slow because I'm a tool and I've been too stressed to write anything (this fic is about a month old). My writing isn't flowing and I barely managed a couple hundred words on _No One Knows_. I just wanted to let you guys know I'm alive and that stories will be coming, but after I settle into my old house and get used to my new school. I don't think I've ever been this stressed or upset before. Anyways, enjoy the slightly angsty fic!

* * *

It did not look good.

Shaun nearly screamed as he held Desmond's fragile, freezing cold body in his arms.

He had already lost two people; why another?

"Hey, Shaun..." Desmond whispered softly, blood trickling out of the corner of his cracked lips, face bruised and eyes fighting hard to stay open. Shaun shook his head, ushering him to keep quiet, to save all the strength he had left. Trembling, Shaun squeezed him slightly, hearing him gasp in pain as he let go. Without thinking, Shaun ran a hand through the man's dark hair, which had grown quite a bit ever since he got to the stronghold. Shaun liked it longer, it was something to run his fingers through or grab onto, rather than just a slick buzz cut.

"Shut up, Desmond. Don't go being a twat now..." He mumbled and pressed his warm hand to Desmond's cold cheek, feeling the two temperatures battle it out. Soon, he could feel a coldness seeping onto his skin, consuming him numbly. Like a subtle breeze of death cutting right to his core. Desmond smiled and cursed when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. "They got you good, but it doesn't matter... You'll be okay... We'll make it out of this... For Lucy and Rebecca."

The Templar men around him were all grinning, guns loaded at the ready, eager to shoot the remaining Assassin and get it over with. But something stopped them from doing so.

"You gotta admit sometime that," he paused and coughed up some blood, getting a splatter of the terrifying red liquid on his already dirtied sweater. "That... not everyone can have a happy ending..." And with those cruel words, Desmond's eyes slowly closed, a slumber overwhelming him as Shaun's jaw went slack.

"Desmond...? Come on, Des, don't play this with me..." Shaun shook him, trying to get a response out. Desmond was the funny guy, no one had ever made Shaun laugh so hard. He remembered when Desmond fell for the funnel trick and Rebecca poured water down the funnel, which was in the front of his pants. Desmond fell for their jokes. But most of all, he fell for Shaun, something the historian could have never believed.

"You... you idiot!" Shaun shouted, shaking him harder now. He was close to tears as Desmond was limp, unmoving. Taking a shaky, uncontrollable breath that almost became a sob, he slipped his hand across Desmond's chest, feeling the multiple gunshot wounds as he looked for a beating organ. Palm pressed against his motionless heart, Shaun howled and pulled him close, cradling the body to his chest. It would have been a pathetic sight to see but Shaun felt like the single last shred of humanity he had with him had been torn from his being.

"You think... you can come in here with a stupid fucking blade and kill them all? That's so 15th century, you jack ass! They have guns now, long range weapons! Grow up, Desmond... Grow up..." He began to cry, feeling the tears pool and fall over, dripping endlessly. Sometimes, men had to cry.

"You're quite right, Mr. Hastings," a cold voice sent shivers down Shaun's spine as he clutched to Desmond tighter, fearing that if he let go, the whole world would collapse underneath him. "He really does need to get with the times, yes?"

Shaun gently set down Desmond, his blood beginning to boil as he turned around, facing the scientist who had killed Lucy. Murdered Rebecca. Slaughtered Desmond.

A stab of pain swept through Shaun's chest and he felt himself heave a sob, nearly screaming as Vidic pulled forth a small handgun.

"I know what it's like to lose someone close to you. My wife, ah my dear wife, you Assassin bastards took her from me!" Vidic shouted, shaking the gun, causing Shaun to whimper and back down again. He needed to compose himself. Show that he wasn't a complete basket case yet. Vidic was right in front of him and all he needed was that damn gun he was waving around and bang! Vidic would be dead. "I wanted to kill myself but no. I didn't."

"I can clearly see," Shaun scowled. "You should have. Save us from all this misery."

"Ah but Shaun, it isn't misery anymore! I have risen to power and created so much help for those who have lost their way. We will win this war and make the world a better place. You'll thank me later. Unless, of course, you accept what I'm going to offer you."

"Oh yeah? What would that be?" Shaun looked around at the multiple gunmen, their weapons at the ready. All very eager for their boss to give the words for them to use their shiny new toys.

"A simple way out," Vidic smiled and held out the gun as an offering. "Shoot yourself in the head. End this all. You'll be out of our way and you won't have to suffer anymore for the loss of your friends and," Vidic snorted, "Your love."

Shaun reached out for the gun, knowing that it would be easier and less painful than the men torturing him until he bled out. Vidic pulled it back quickly, smiling as Shaun was on his knees, practically crawling for his escape route.

"Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast, Mr. Hastings. You have to accept a condition first. If I give you this gun, you cannot shoot anyone else in this room other than yourself. If you do, well..." Vidic grinned and Shaun almost felt sick. Shaun _did_ feel sick and he threw up, making a mess all over the floor at Vidic's feet.

"Well?" Vidic was impatient as he tapped the butt of the gun against the top of Shaun's head, laughing with his men as he heard the historian threw up a second round. "I'll give you until ten." He was treating Shaun like _he _was now the small child.

"Ten."

Shaun took a deep breath, ready to answer him.

"Nine."

He sobbed uncontrollably, unable to get a word out.

"Eight."

He hated himself for it.

"Seven."

He couldn't stop.

"Six."

Finally, it ceased.

"Five."

He wiped at his mouth.

"Four."

He tried to answer, but his mouth was too dry.

"Three."

Too dry.

"Two."

Finally. He felt moisture return with the sick taste of a lingering acid.

"One-"

He opened his mouth.

"_Wait! Okay! I'll accept, just give me the bloody gun, you asshole!_" Shaun shouted, breathless from that one sentence. Vidic rolled his eyes and handed the gun to Shaun, watching him slowly take it.

Slowly, he placed the cold metal against his head, ready to take the easy way out. Inhaling a deep breath, his tears fell into the mess below him.

"Goodnight," Vidic smiled and gave him a small wave. Quickly, as fast as he could manage, Shaun twisted his arm outward and pointed the gun at Vidic, barely allowing him to react as he pulled on the trigger.

_Click._

Shaun did not like that noise. It sounded empty. He tried again.

_Click._

"Mr. Hastings, I thought we had an agreement." From his lab coat pocket, he pulled forth a magazine, the one that belonged to the gun in Shaun's hand. "It's a shame some people can't keep their promises. It sickens me to my stomach. Sleep tight, for I hope you suffer in hell for your selfish acts. Men, open fire."

Before Shaun could open his mouth, a brigade of bullets pierced through his body, a hot shower of pain washing through him. Instantly, he fell over, a motionless heap beside Desmond. Hesitantly, Vidic walked over to the body and kicked it with the tip of his boot, grinning when it didn't get back up, the body deprived of any sign of life.

"It's a shame. I thought Shaun was smarter than that." Vidic smirked sarcastically and walked away, twirling the magazine in his hand.


End file.
